I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am willing to spend some time working on it, especially if others out there are interested. I really don't know much about it, but the videos I have watched include large specialized machines..
>I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does
>anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would
>take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace?
I have a couple of books by Vince Gingery about making a very small one-shot injection molder. It can only hold a few ounces of plastic, though. They built one at Sector67, it might be worth visiting them.
I have a similar immediate need and interest I have been in contact with
some places that make and produce the part for you but so far that is a
couple grand for me and more money than I have.
On making your own these are some links on books and making you own plastic
injector.
> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does
> anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would
> take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am
> willing to spend some time working on it, especially if others out there
> are interested. I really don't know much about it, but the videos I have
> watched include large specialized machines..
> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does > anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it > would take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace?
> I am willing to spend some time working on it, especially if others > out there are interested. I really don't know much about it, but the > videos I have watched include large specialized machines..
>> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does
>> anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would
>> take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am
>> willing to spend some time working on it, especially if others out there
>> are interested. I really don't know much about it, but the videos I have
>> watched include large specialized machines..
On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:39:38 AM UTC-6, Ron Bean wrote:
> >I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does > >anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would > >take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace?
> I have a couple of books by Vince Gingery about making a very small > one-shot injection molder. It can only hold a few ounces of plastic, > though. They built one at Sector67, it might be worth visiting them.
I've made the Gingery plastic injector, it's kinda cool, but maybe not helpful for large quantities.
I messed an orientation from the design- and last time I used it my bore/piston relation was sloppy which would usually leave a few small metal scrapings in final pieces.
It's currently had a few parts cannibalized for other projects -and hasn't been worked with in a while.
The volume of plastic can maybe be described as taking a sharpie marker with the cap on -the gray volume below the cap is about what you can shoot through it in one heat cycle. Maybe 10-15 min. a cycle? Gingery uses cut up scrap plastic, which needs to settle in the chamber, and I have not figured how to limit air bubbles in the center of pieces... yet. I say "yet" as this thing is one of those projects I haven't touched in a while.
I'd say it might not be great for large volumes -but it didn't take -that- long to build. We have better equipment at MMS than I had when I made my "FrankenGingery".
If I was to do it again, I'd look into using re-purposed hydraulic cylinders, as a nice bore/piston turns out to be more important than Gingery suggests -and when I last looked, there were some higher volume designs that incorporated air/electric driven pistons.
On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:16:04 AM UTC-6, Adam Cohen wrote:
> Hello Makers,
> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does > anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would > take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am > willing to spend some time working on it, especially if others out there > are interested. I really don't know much about it, but the videos I have > watched include large specialized machines..
I should also note that Sector67 has a Boy 50T injection molder (an actual industrial machine), but they don't have anyone who knows how to properly set up and run it.
They'd love to get it running but need some instruction on it.
On 11/8/2012 10:08 AM, Dont let google be evil wrote:
> I've made the Gingery plastic injector, it's kinda cool, but maybe not > helpful for large quantities.
> I messed an orientation from the design- and last time I used it my > bore/piston relation was sloppy which would usually leave a few small > metal scrapings in final pieces.
> It's currently had a few parts cannibalized for other projects -and > hasn't been worked with in a while.
> The volume of plastic can maybe be described as taking a sharpie > marker with the cap on -the gray volume below the cap is about what > you can shoot through it in one heat cycle. Maybe 10-15 min. a cycle?
> Gingery uses cut up scrap plastic, which needs to settle in the > chamber, and I have not figured how to limit air bubbles in the center > of pieces... yet.
> I say "yet" as this thing is one of those projects I haven't > touched in a while.
> I'd say it might not be great for large volumes -but it didn't take > -that- long to build. We have better equipment at MMS than I had when > I made my "FrankenGingery".
> If I was to do it again, I'd look into using re-purposed hydraulic > cylinders, as a nice bore/piston turns out to be more important than > Gingery suggests -and when I last looked, there were some higher > volume designs that incorporated air/electric driven pistons.
> ScrambledEggs
> On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:16:04 AM UTC-6, Adam Cohen wrote:
> Hello Makers,
> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. > Does anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how
> much it would take to get a decent homebrew system working at the
> makerspace? I am willing to spend some time working on it,
> especially if others out there are interested. I really don't know
> much about it, but the videos I have watched include large
> specialized machines..
Couldn't we technically cast our own molds being that we are working up to
aluminum casting, etc? How hard would it be to develop the plastic
injection rig? Sounds similar to a massive extruder really.
On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 10:18 AM, Have Blue <haveb...@airsoldier.com> wrote:
> I should also note that Sector67 has a Boy 50T injection molder (an
> actual industrial machine), but they don't have anyone who knows how to
> properly set up and run it.
> They'd love to get it running but need some instruction on it.
> On 11/8/2012 10:08 AM, Dont let google be evil wrote:
> I've made the Gingery plastic injector, it's kinda cool, but maybe not
> helpful for large quantities.
> I messed an orientation from the design- and last time I used it my
> bore/piston relation was sloppy which would usually leave a few small metal
> scrapings in final pieces.
> It's currently had a few parts cannibalized for other projects -and hasn't
> been worked with in a while.
> The volume of plastic can maybe be described as taking a sharpie marker
> with the cap on -the gray volume below the cap is about what you can shoot
> through it in one heat cycle. Maybe 10-15 min. a cycle?
> Gingery uses cut up scrap plastic, which needs to settle in the
> chamber, and I have not figured how to limit air bubbles in the center of
> pieces... yet.
> I say "yet" as this thing is one of those projects I haven't touched in
> a while.
> I'd say it might not be great for large volumes -but it didn't take -that-
> long to build. We have better equipment at MMS than I had when I made my
> "FrankenGingery".
> If I was to do it again, I'd look into using re-purposed hydraulic
> cylinders, as a nice bore/piston turns out to be more important than
> Gingery suggests -and when I last looked, there were some higher volume
> designs that incorporated air/electric driven pistons.
> ScrambledEggs
> On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:16:04 AM UTC-6, Adam Cohen wrote:
>> Hello Makers,
>> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does
>> anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would
>> take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am
>> willing to spend some time working on it, especially if others out there
>> are interested. I really don't know much about it, but the videos I have
>> watched include large specialized machines..
On Thursday, November 8, 2012 10:57:16 AM UTC-6, photozz wrote:
> Couldn't we technically cast our own molds being that we are working up to > aluminum casting, etc? How hard would it be to develop the plastic > injection rig? Sounds similar to a massive extruder really.
> On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 10:18 AM, Have Blue <have...@airsoldier.com<javascript:> > > wrote:
>> I should also note that Sector67 has a Boy 50T injection molder (an >> actual industrial machine), but they don't have anyone who knows how to >> properly set up and run it.
>> They'd love to get it running but need some instruction on it.
>> On 11/8/2012 10:08 AM, Dont let google be evil wrote:
>> I've made the Gingery plastic injector, it's kinda cool, but maybe not >> helpful for large quantities.
>> I messed an orientation from the design- and last time I used it my >> bore/piston relation was sloppy which would usually leave a few small metal >> scrapings in final pieces.
>> It's currently had a few parts cannibalized for other projects -and >> hasn't been worked with in a while.
>> The volume of plastic can maybe be described as taking a sharpie marker >> with the cap on -the gray volume below the cap is about what you can shoot >> through it in one heat cycle. Maybe 10-15 min. a cycle? >> Gingery uses cut up scrap plastic, which needs to settle in the >> chamber, and I have not figured how to limit air bubbles in the center of >> pieces... yet. >> I say "yet" as this thing is one of those projects I haven't touched >> in a while.
>> I'd say it might not be great for large volumes -but it didn't take >> -that- long to build. We have better equipment at MMS than I had when I >> made my "FrankenGingery".
>> If I was to do it again, I'd look into using re-purposed hydraulic >> cylinders, as a nice bore/piston turns out to be more important than >> Gingery suggests -and when I last looked, there were some higher volume >> designs that incorporated air/electric driven pistons.
>> ScrambledEggs
>> On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:16:04 AM UTC-6, Adam Cohen wrote:
>>> Hello Makers,
>>> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does >>> anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would >>> take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am >>> willing to spend some time working on it, especially if others out there >>> are interested. I really don't know much about it, but the videos I have >>> watched include large specialized machines..
You can - I think Gingery even talks about using plaster molds for injection molding (they only hold up for maybe 10 parts or so). Casting the molds with epoxy tooling resin would really be best, I think.
> I thought about casting molds...Do people do that?
> On Thursday, November 8, 2012 10:57:16 AM UTC-6, photozz wrote:
> Couldn't we technically cast our own molds being that we are
> working up to aluminum casting, etc? How hard would it be to
> develop the plastic injection rig? Sounds similar to a massive
> extruder really.
> On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 10:18 AM, Have Blue <have...@airsoldier.com
> <javascript:>> wrote:
> I should also note that Sector67 has a Boy 50T injection
> molder (an actual industrial machine), but they don't have
> anyone who knows how to properly set up and run it.
> They'd love to get it running but need some instruction on it.
> On 11/8/2012 10:08 AM, Dont let google be evil wrote:
>> I've made the Gingery plastic injector, it's kinda cool, but
>> maybe not helpful for large quantities.
>> I messed an orientation from the design- and last time I used
>> it my bore/piston relation was sloppy which would usually
>> leave a few small metal scrapings in final pieces.
>> It's currently had a few parts cannibalized for other
>> projects -and hasn't been worked with in a while.
>> The volume of plastic can maybe be described as taking a
>> sharpie marker with the cap on -the gray volume below the cap
>> is about what you can shoot through it in one heat cycle.
>> Maybe 10-15 min. a cycle?
>> Gingery uses cut up scrap plastic, which needs to settle
>> in the chamber, and I have not figured how to limit air
>> bubbles in the center of pieces... yet.
>> I say "yet" as this thing is one of those projects I
>> haven't touched in a while.
>> I'd say it might not be great for large volumes -but it
>> didn't take -that- long to build. We have better equipment at
>> MMS than I had when I made my "FrankenGingery".
>> If I was to do it again, I'd look into using re-purposed
>> hydraulic cylinders, as a nice bore/piston turns out to be
>> more important than Gingery suggests -and when I last looked,
>> there were some higher volume designs that incorporated
>> air/electric driven pistons.
>> ScrambledEggs
>> On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:16:04 AM UTC-6, Adam Cohen
>> wrote:
>> Hello Makers,
>> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my
>> prototypes. Does anyone out there know a lot about
>> injection molding and how much it would take to get a
>> decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am
>> willing to spend some time working on it, especially if
>> others out there are interested. I really don't know much
>> about it, but the videos I have watched include large
>> specialized machines..
> You can - I think Gingery even talks about using plaster molds for
> injection molding (they only hold up for maybe 10 parts or so). Casting
> the molds with epoxy tooling resin would really be best, I think.
> On 11/8/2012 11:04 AM, Adam Cohen wrote:
> > I thought about casting molds...Do people do that?
> > On Thursday, November 8, 2012 10:57:16 AM UTC-6, photozz wrote:
> > Couldn't we technically cast our own molds being that we are
> > working up to aluminum casting, etc? How hard would it be to
> > develop the plastic injection rig? Sounds similar to a massive
> > extruder really.
> > On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 10:18 AM, Have Blue <have...@airsoldier.com
> > <javascript:>> wrote:
> > I should also note that Sector67 has a Boy 50T injection
> > molder (an actual industrial machine), but they don't have
> > anyone who knows how to properly set up and run it.
> > They'd love to get it running but need some instruction on it.
> > On 11/8/2012 10:08 AM, Dont let google be evil wrote:
> >> I've made the Gingery plastic injector, it's kinda cool, but
> >> maybe not helpful for large quantities.
> >> I messed an orientation from the design- and last time I used
> >> it my bore/piston relation was sloppy which would usually
> >> leave a few small metal scrapings in final pieces.
> >> It's currently had a few parts cannibalized for other
> >> projects -and hasn't been worked with in a while.
> >> The volume of plastic can maybe be described as taking a
> >> sharpie marker with the cap on -the gray volume below the cap
> >> is about what you can shoot through it in one heat cycle.
> >> Maybe 10-15 min. a cycle?
> >> Gingery uses cut up scrap plastic, which needs to settle
> >> in the chamber, and I have not figured how to limit air
> >> bubbles in the center of pieces... yet.
> >> I say "yet" as this thing is one of those projects I
> >> haven't touched in a while.
> >> I'd say it might not be great for large volumes -but it
> >> didn't take -that- long to build. We have better equipment at
> >> MMS than I had when I made my "FrankenGingery".
> >> If I was to do it again, I'd look into using re-purposed
> >> hydraulic cylinders, as a nice bore/piston turns out to be
> >> more important than Gingery suggests -and when I last looked,
> >> there were some higher volume designs that incorporated
> >> air/electric driven pistons.
> >> ScrambledEggs
> >> On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:16:04 AM UTC-6, Adam Cohen
> >> wrote:
> >> Hello Makers,
> >> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my
> >> prototypes. Does anyone out there know a lot about
> >> injection molding and how much it would take to get a
> >> decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am
> >> willing to spend some time working on it, especially if
> >> others out there are interested. I really don't know much
> >> about it, but the videos I have watched include large
> >> specialized machines..
You also need to look where the mold should break apart. I have a part
that would need a two part mold that slides apart and both halves are
somewhat L shaped
On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 11:55 AM, Shane <Impe...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> CamBam does have a "mold" feature that basically inverts your design.
> You could CNC the part, vacuum-form it, then cast the mold with
> epoxy....
> On Nov 8, 11:43 am, Have Blue <haveb...@airsoldier.com> wrote:
> > You can - I think Gingery even talks about using plaster molds for
> > injection molding (they only hold up for maybe 10 parts or so). Casting
> > the molds with epoxy tooling resin would really be best, I think.
> > On 11/8/2012 11:04 AM, Adam Cohen wrote:
> > > I thought about casting molds...Do people do that?
> > > On Thursday, November 8, 2012 10:57:16 AM UTC-6, photozz wrote:
> > > Couldn't we technically cast our own molds being that we are
> > > working up to aluminum casting, etc? How hard would it be to
> > > develop the plastic injection rig? Sounds similar to a massive
> > > extruder really.
> > > On Thu, Nov 8, 2012 at 10:18 AM, Have Blue <have...@airsoldier.com
> > > <javascript:>> wrote:
> > > I should also note that Sector67 has a Boy 50T injection
> > > molder (an actual industrial machine), but they don't have
> > > anyone who knows how to properly set up and run it.
> > > They'd love to get it running but need some instruction on it.
> > > On 11/8/2012 10:08 AM, Dont let google be evil wrote:
> > >> I've made the Gingery plastic injector, it's kinda cool, but
> > >> maybe not helpful for large quantities.
> > >> I messed an orientation from the design- and last time I used
> > >> it my bore/piston relation was sloppy which would usually
> > >> leave a few small metal scrapings in final pieces.
> > >> It's currently had a few parts cannibalized for other
> > >> projects -and hasn't been worked with in a while.
> > >> The volume of plastic can maybe be described as taking a
> > >> sharpie marker with the cap on -the gray volume below the cap
> > >> is about what you can shoot through it in one heat cycle.
> > >> Maybe 10-15 min. a cycle?
> > >> Gingery uses cut up scrap plastic, which needs to settle
> > >> in the chamber, and I have not figured how to limit air
> > >> bubbles in the center of pieces... yet.
> > >> I say "yet" as this thing is one of those projects I
> > >> haven't touched in a while.
> > >> I'd say it might not be great for large volumes -but it
> > >> didn't take -that- long to build. We have better equipment at
> > >> MMS than I had when I made my "FrankenGingery".
> > >> If I was to do it again, I'd look into using re-purposed
> > >> hydraulic cylinders, as a nice bore/piston turns out to be
> > >> more important than Gingery suggests -and when I last looked,
> > >> there were some higher volume designs that incorporated
> > >> air/electric driven pistons.
> > >> ScrambledEggs
> > >> On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:16:04 AM UTC-6, Adam Cohen
> > >> wrote:
> > >> Hello Makers,
> > >> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my
> > >> prototypes. Does anyone out there know a lot about
> > >> injection molding and how much it would take to get a
> > >> decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am
> > >> willing to spend some time working on it, especially if
> > >> others out there are interested. I really don't know much
> > >> about it, but the videos I have watched include large
> > >> specialized machines..
It depends upon how close your tolerances are. Metal and plastic expand when warm. This expansion and contraction will change the final size of your injected plastic parts and the intermediate molds.
Eric Berna
iOS Developed
On Nov 8, 2012, at 1:13 PM, Adam Cohen <adam.cohen.mail...@gmail.com> wrote:
After speaking w/ you (Adam) a bit tonight, I wonder if you might be looking for a solution that is more like forming marbles, or gumballs. These are more heating and rotating than injection molding Maybe a jig to orient a band of plastic tubing to be shrunk over a small ball-bearing. This would protect bores, but might mess with sphere geometry a bit. Maybe a sort of heated pliers w/ half spheres cut on faces to "crush" a sphere from a tube w/ a steel ball or plug in it.
On Thursday, November 8, 2012 8:16:04 AM UTC-6, Adam Cohen wrote:
> Hello Makers,
> I am very interested in making a large quantity of my prototypes. Does > anyone out there know a lot about injection molding and how much it would > take to get a decent homebrew system working at the makerspace? I am > willing to spend some time working on it, especially if others out there > are interested. I really don't know much about it, but the videos I have > watched include large specialized machines..
